C.U.R.E. - Cortland's Urban Recruitment of Educators

Invest in the future of education today! Support Future Educators: Remove the Financial Barriers to Becoming a Teacher

Becoming a teacher is a meaningful and transformative career choice—but it also comes with significant financial hurdles. For many aspiring educators, the cost of certification can be a major barrier. Future teachers often spend nearly $600 on required fees, including fingerprinting for background checks and certification exams. These expenses arrive at a time when student-teachers have limited income and are already managing the demands of full-time classroom placements. Your support can provide them with vouchers to cover exam fees and fingerprinting expense reimbursement.

Over the past year, more than twenty C.U.R.E. scholars have benefited from teacher certification vouchers that helped cover these essential costs. These vouchers make it possible for them to complete the certification process and move one step closer to leading their own classrooms. Your support directly impacts these future educators—and the students they will go on to serve.

By contributing to the C.U.R.E. Teacher Certification Fund, you help ease financial stress so aspiring teachers can focus on what truly matters: developing their craft, supporting students and preparing to make a meaningful impact in schools and communities.

Join us in investing in the future of education. Your generosity helps ensure that every aspiring teacher has the opportunity to step into the classroom with confidence and purpose.

C.U.R.E. Scholar testimonials:

“My name is Kenia and I am a senior Childhood/Early Childhood Education major with a concentration in Urban Studies. I have been a member of C.U.R.E. since I started at Cortland in 2022. Since the Welcome Picnic before my first college classes, I knew I found a home. One of the things this home provided was security, specifically financial security. I am the first in my family to go to college and all my parents know about college was that it can be expensive. I thankfully did my research and found that CURE could help put me through school and reduce the financial stress my parents and I would inevitably feel. Through the scholarship and the available vouchers, I have been able to pay for fingerprinting, my certification exams and a portion of my tuition. All of this adds up and knowing that the money is there to help me, has allowed me to ensure I can focus on lesson plans and studying for exams. Being the first to go to college this really allowed me to focus my energy towards my future instead of worrying how my parents were going to afford two college tuitions when my sister started in 2024. Through C.U.R.E., I have been able to place my best foot forward academically and socially on campus as well. I have learned so much through the classes and opportunities I have taken because of C.U.R.E.. I am involved in La Familia Latina as well as Building Women, both coming with positions I would have never considered without C.U.R.E.”

-Kenia B

My name is Josiah, and I am a senior at the State University of New York at Cortland, pursuing a degree in Adolescence Education; Social Studies and History. I am also a dedicated member of Cortland’s Urban Recruitment of Educators (C.U.R.E) program, where I’ve cultivated skills necessary to implement culturally responsive pedagogy and create inclusive learning environments where all students feel valued and supported. The C.U.R.E. Program has helped me obtain my NYS fingerprinting as well as take both of my teacher certification exams that I would not have been able to afford if I was not for the assistance. Thanks to donor support, Cortland truly feels like home and I’m thankful for the opportunities they have provided.

-Josiah Carnegie, Current Scholar

All 4 years in the C.U.R.E program, I never had to worry about coming up with extra money to pay for things that aren’t part of my tuition. Being a college student is hard enough. Worrying about your next meal, mental health, making time for friends, and your studies as well. Because of this program having so many ways of reimbursing expenses, all I was responsible for was submitting my paperwork. C.U.R.E is so much more than the money per semester. All the resources provided, the mentors who had endless patience and assured me that I wouldn’t have to worry about extra expenses. This not only gave me peace of mind but also inspired me to provide my students with as many resources they could possibly have to better their studies.

-Stacy Ghansah ’25C.U.R.E. has played a meaningful role in supporting my journey toward becoming a health education teacher. The program helped me become the best possible teacher by helping me understand the true power education has on all my students. C.U.R.E has also taught me valuable lessons on how I can best advocate for my students’ unique perspectives and identities. C.U.R.E to me feels like a family that has truly set me up for success throughout my career. The financial support of C.U.R.E has helped reduce barriers related to fingerprinting, required testing, and gas mileage costs, allowing me to focus more fully on my student teaching experience and professional growth. These supports made it possible for me to gain hands-on experience in the field and continue pursuing my career goals with confidence.

I’m grateful for the opportunities C.U.R.E. has provided me and I am even more thankful for the connections I have made from the program.

-Aiden Bernal ’25

The C.U.R.E. program has been a huge help throughout my years here at Cortland. It has given me a place on campus where I feel a true sense of community, while also helping to ease some of the stress that comes with earning certifications. Support such as fingerprinting, mileage reimbursement and testing vouchers has made a real difference in my journey. The funding this program receives has a meaningful impact and allows future students to learn and grow alongside mentors who have had similar experiences. In many ways, donor support is like watering the seed of a tree — that seed grows, and over time the tree begins to bear fruit, supporting not just one student, but the entire community around it.

-Makhatub Hassan, Current Student

As an undergraduate student of color, the cost of fingerprinting is an additional financial burden that can make required steps toward entering the classroom feel overwhelming. This scholarship directly supports my ability to move forward in my teacher preparation program by removing a cost that is necessary, but often overlooked. By covering fingerprinting expenses, the scholarship allows me to focus on my coursework, field experiences and growth as an educator rather than worrying about financial barriers. This support affirms that my presence in the classroom matters and helps ensure that students like me who bring diverse perspectives and experiences are not held back by preventable costs.

Brianna Reyes ’24